APS social media community guidelines

Thank you for being part of our social media community.

The Australian Psychological Society (APS) is Australia’s peak body for psychology, representing members working in or towards a career in psychology. We use social media to engage with our members and the broader community to share news, information and useful information about psychology.

To ensure the best possible experience for everyone, we have established these guidelines for participation. By joining and engaging with our social media community, you agree that you have read and will follow these rules and guidelines. Please take a moment to acquaint yourself with them.

For information about APS please use the Contact Us link on this site.

These guidelines apply to all APS members and staff, as well as other individuals and organisations who follow or engage with us on any social media platform.

• Share: Members of our organisation and the broader community have a wide range of expertise, skills and experiences. We encourage you to answer questions, help others, and share what you know.
• Psychological safety: All users who engage with our social media channels are entitled to psychological safety. This includes APS staff, members, and any other users or followers. We take psychological safety seriously and will remove content that could compromise it, and/or block users who repeatedly post such content.
• Respect and diversity:  Be mindful of others and always show respect to other users. Embrace and encourage diverse perspectives and backgrounds. Focus on the content of posts and not on the people making them. Ensure your posting and commenting behaviour is respectful by giving other users time and space to consider your posts before reposting, being open to alternative views, and acknowledging and accepting information presented that might provide evidence to counter your views. Engage meaningfully with the comments made by others. Do not repeatedly post the same or similar content in different threads or posts.
• Lively debate: Discussion and debate are encouraged and should be welcoming and respectful of all points of view. When you post something, especially about a challenging or controversial topic, expect that your viewpoints and opinions may be questioned, challenged, and held up to scrutiny. APS will exercise the right to moderate and where necessary and delete content that is not respectful.
• Language and tone: Strive for clear and succinct communication. Use language appropriate for a professional setting. Remember the importance of tone in online communication and always avoid sarcasm, belittling or aggressive tone. Do not write in ‘all caps’ and never use profanities or offensive language.
• Accountability: You are responsible for your actions and content. Comply with moderation by following the guidance of moderators and respecting their decisions.
• Privacy: Be mindful of privacy. Always respect the privacy of others when sharing stories, photos or experiences. Our social media channels are publicly visible, so do not post anything that you would not want the world to see or that you would not want anyone to know came from you. If you are a psychologist or other registered health professional, always be mindful of your ethical, regulatory and legal obligations.
• Accuracy: Where possible and appropriate, post links or references to information to back your comments and claims. Do not wilfully spread misleading information.
• Spam and promotional comments: Make sure your posts and comments are relevant to the theme and purpose of our community. Spam and promotional content that does not add value to the conversation may be removed.
• Offensive content: Explicit or offensive content could lead to content removal or a temporary or permanent block from our channels. Information posted on our channels is available for all to see, and comments are subject to libel, slander, and antitrust laws. All defamatory, abusive, profane, threatening, offensive, or illegal materials are strictly prohibited.
• Reporting content: We want our community to be a safe space for everyone. If you see something that violates these guidelines or makes you feel unsafe, please report the content directly in-platform. We will respond to inappropriate content in accordance with our own policy above.

We want our community to feel engaged and filled with positive, constructive dialogue. If you ask a question in the comments or send us a message we’ll always work to respond promptly and, if we can’t answer your question, we will direct you elsewhere.

By joining and participating in our community, you agree to follow these guidelines. Trolling and harassment will not be tolerated. To preserve an environment that encourages civil and fruitful dialogue, we reserve the right to remove content or individuals that do not adhere to these rules. Breaking these guidelines may result in additional disciplinary action.

These guidelines may be updated periodically. We value your feedback and invite you to suggest improvements to these guidelines.

Thank you for being a part of our community and helping to make it a positive space for everyone. Together, we can create an environment where everyone feels respected, valued, and heard.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]